Valve mechanism



Feb. 21, 1928.

A. D. FERGUSON VALVE MECHANISM Fi led Jan. 50, 1922 Patented Feb. 21, 19 28.

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER D.

PATENTIIOFFICE.

ERY COMEANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE MECHANISM.

Application filed January 30, 1922. Serial No. 532,684.

My invention relates to valve mechanisms, and more particularly to valve mechanisms for air compressors. 7

An object of my invention is to provide an improved valve mechanism. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved valve mechanism of a type especially adapted for use with air compressors. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved valve mechanism in which the clearance volume communicating with the cylinder at the ends of the stroke may be a minimum. A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved valve mechanism which may be readily manufactured and assembled. Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for. purposes of illustrationone form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a cylinder provided with the illustrative embodiment of my improved valve mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a section through a fragment of the cylinder and cylinder head showing the illustrative form of my improved valve mechanism in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on a plane corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a section on a slightly enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improved valve mechanism used in connection with an air compressor which has a cylinder casting 1 in which a bore 2 is formed and in this bore a piston 3 is. reciprocated bya piston rod 4 in any well known manner.

At opposite ends of the casting 1 are mounted cylinder heads 5 and 6, these heads having chambers 7 formed therein com municating with the discharge chamber 8 of the cylinder and having passages 9 communicating with the inlet chamber 10 of the cylinder-casting 1. It will be noted that the chamber 7 is bounded by inner and outer walls 11 and 12 and that between the wall 11 and the port-ion 13 of the head which abuts against the inlet chamber portion of the casting 1 there are formed a series of pockets 14, and it will further be noted that a series of openings 15 is formed parallel to the pockets-14 between the walls 11 and 12, which walls approach each other atthe top. The pockets 14 are formed with parallel walls 16 and 17, and the wall 16 is thinned by the formation of the ports 9 to portions of a relatively slight thickness as indicated at 18 and these are each traversed by several series, herein three, of ports 20, these series being arranged parallel to each other similar to ports 21 as indicated in Figure 3, and the surface 16 is smoothed in a suitable manner to provide valve seating surfaces surrounding the several series of ports 20. The wall 17 is provided with the several parallel series of ports 21 and the wall 11 is properly smoothed upon-the portion surrounding the ports 21 to form valve seating surfaces 22.

Disposed within the pockets 14, of which there are one or more provided as may be desired, several being used with the compressor shown, members 23 are inserted, these members being held in proper position by machine screws 24 passing through the head 5 or 6. The members 23, as willvbe' understood from Figures 2 and 4, are provided at their lower ends with a series of finger-like projections, alternate projections having staggered oppositely inclined surfaces 26 and 27, which surfaces guide the fluid in its flow relative to the valves'and which, being supported by portions of the member 23 which arenot cut away, tend to reduce the clearance volume of the cylinder. It will be noted that sets of intercommunieating flow passages 28 and 29 are thus pro vided communicating with the cylinder bore and that these taper by reason of the shape of the member 23. The face of the member 23 adjacent the surface 16 is cut into a series of fingers 30 by the cutting away of the material to form the flow slots 28 intermediate and outside the ports 20 and the surface is also further cut away directly opposite the ports 20- in the surface 16 to form valve receiving sockets 31 which guide strip-like valves 32 at the opposite ends and permit them to move away from the valve seat surface surrounding'the ports 18. Spring receiving sockets33 are arranged in the fingers or projections 30 to receive springs 34 which tend to maintain the valves 32 seated.

Noting Figure 4, it will be apparent that as the valves 32 unseat,' the springs 34 will be compressed and fluid will flow through ports 20 andthrough the flow slots 28 into the cylinder. Opposed to the valve seating surface 22 is a plate member 35 which is provided with valve receiving and guiding sockets 36 opposite the ports 21 and also with spring sockets 37 in which springs 38 are disposed for pressing finger-like valves 39 against the valve seat surface 22. it will be noted that a series of slots 40 traverses the member 35 and permits fluid which has passed through the ports 21 to secure access to the chamber 7 and also that the lateral edges of the plate member 35 are cut away as at ll for the same purpose. The member 35 is held by machine screws 42 in assembled relation with respect to the cylinder head.

From the foregoing description the mode of operation of this device will be readily apparent. As the piston moves toward the left in Figure 1, it Will be evident that the valve 32 (Fig. 2) will be unseat-ed and that fluid will flow through the ports 20 past the lateral edges of the valve into the flow slots 28 and thence into the cylinder. At the end of the suction stroke the valves 32 will close and as the piston moves toward the right when the requisite pressure has been builtup the valves 39 will be forced from their seat and fluid will discharge through the ports 21 past the lateral edges of the valve 39 and through the slots 40 and spaces 4-1 into the discharge chamber 7 of the cylinder.

It Will be obvious that my invention may be practiced in other ways, the valve seating surfaces being differently arranged or in different elements and also that, instead of finger-like valves, a valve adapted to bend around a fixed pivot or any other type of valve can be employed and thereby the need for separate springs avoided.

lWhile I have in this application specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice,it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a valve mechanism for pumps, a chamber communicating with the bore of a pump cylinder through one end thereof and communicating through opposite walls th ereof with suction and discharge chambers, valves controlling the communication with the suction chamberand the communication With the discharge chamber, and flow guiding moans removably inserted in said first mentioned chamber through the other end thereof.

2. In a pump, means providing the bounding walls for apump cylinder and also providing suction and discharge chambers said 3. In a pump, means providing the bound- 7 ing walls for a pump cylinder and alsoproviding suction and discharge chambers, said means affording a third chamber communicating through one of its ends with the bore of the cylinder and having opposite ported walls spacing the chamber from said suction and discharge chambers, valvescontrolling the communication between said suction and discharge chambers and said third mentioned chamber, and flow guiding means removably inserted in said third mentioned chamber through its other end and having surfaces directing the fluid pumped relative to said opposite ported walls. V

i. In a pump, means providing the bounding walls for a pump cylinder and also providing suction and discharge chambers, said means affording a third chamber communieating through its end with the bore of the cylinder and having opposite ported walls spacing the chamber from said suction and dischargechambers, valves controlling the communication between said suction and discharge chambers and said third mentioned chamber, and flow guiding. means removably inserted in said third mentioned chamber and having staggered oppositely inclined surfaces directing the fluid pumped relative to said opposite ported walls.

5. In a pump, means enclosing a pump cylinder chamber, inlet and discharge chain-' bers and a fourth chamber communicating directly with said cylinder chamber, said enclosing means including .portedwalls separating said fourth chamber from the inlet and discharge chambers and said walls'providing valve seats surroundingsaid ports,

valve means cooperating with said seats and having a lifting movement relative to the latter on opening, and means permitting removal of said valves while said valve seats r main stationary in their normal relation to the pump cylinder chamber.

6. In a pump, means enclosing a pump cylinder, said means having formed therein inlet and discharge chambers and a third chamber communicating directly with the cylinder bore, said third mentioned chamberbeing separated by ported walls from the suction and discharge chambers, valve seats surrounding said ports, each of said Walls and its associated seat being liked, and valve means cooperating with said walls and arranged respectively one inside and one outside said third mentioned chamber and removable while said walls remain in their fixed relation.

the suction chamber and the communication with the discharge chamber, and flow guiding and valve spring supporting means inserted in said first mentioned chamber through the other end thereof.

, 8. In a valve mechanism for pumps, a series of radially extending chambers communicating through their ends with the cylinder bore and having their opposite sides formed by walls formed integral with the cylinder head, ports traversing said walls, valve seats surrounding said ports on similar sides of said walls, valves on similar. sides of said walls and cooperating with said seats,valve springs cooperating-with said valves, and supporting means for said springs disposed on similar sides of said walls removable Without disturbing said valve seats. a h

9. In a pump mechanism, a cylinder having a chamber extending in a generallyradial direction formed therein, said chamber communicating through its opposite sides with supply and discharge chambers and through an end with the cylinder bore,v

means inserted in said chamber having a plurality of fingers having oppositely inclined laterally staggered flow guiding surfaces, valves supported between certain of said fingers and one of said side walls, a second member secured to the opposite side of the other of said side walls, and valves between said last mentioned member and said second mentioned side wall. I

10. In a pump mechanism, valve mechanism including a chamber having a series of ports in one wall thereof, a series of ports in an opposite wall thereof, valves cooperating with said ports, an opening to the pump working space through another wall of said chamber, and means for supporting one of said valves including a flow guiding element cooperating with the ports controlled by the other valve, and means for maintaining said last mentioned means in normally fixed but removable relation to said walls.

11. In a pump mechanism, a cylinder head having a plurality of parallel valve seat surfaces formed directly thereon, and means removable only in directions parallel to said surfaces for supporting valves in cooperative relation to said seat surfaces.

12. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder,

plane valve seats on the inner-and outer walls of said chamber, valves cooperating with said seats, and means for maintaining said valves in cooperative relation to said seats removable in directions parallel to the planes of said seats While the latter remain stationary. V

13. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder, plane valve seats on the inner and outer walls of said'chamber, valves cooperating with said seats, and means for maintaining said valves in cooperative relation to said seats removable in parallel paths parallel to the planes of said seats while the latter remain stationary.

' 14. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder, plane valve seats on theinner and outer walls of said chamber, valves cooperating with said seats, means for maintaining said valves in cooperative relation to said seats, and means between said valves for directing fluid flowingthrough the latter, both of said last mentioned means being removable in directions parallel to the planes of said seats while the latter remain stationary.

15; In a valve mechanism, means forming a'chamber, valve seats on the inner side of onewall thereof and on the outer side of the opposite wall thereof, removable valves cooperating with said seats, said seats being adapted to have relatively fixed positions during removal of said valves, anda member adapted to be inserted, while said seats remain stationary, between said valves to direct fluid flowing through said valves.

16. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder,

plane valve seats on the inner and outer walls of said chamber facing in the same direction, valves cooperating with said seats, and means for maintaining said valves in cooperative relation to said seats removable in directions parallel to the planes of said seats while the latter remain stationary.

. 1.7. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder, an adjacent chamber, said chambers having a common wall, a valve seat formedon said common wall on the side of the second chamber, a valve seat formed on the inside of the opposite wall of the first chamber, and valves in said chambers cooperating with said seats, said valves being removable only through the ends of their respective chambers. I

18. In a pump valve mechanism, means forming a chamber communicating with a pump cylinder and having bounding walls having inner and outer surfaces, a Valve seat on an inner surface and a valve seat on an outersurface, valves cooperating with said seats, and supporting and housing means for said valves including an element Ill inside said chamber and secured directly to and supported by a wall of said chamber but removable while the walls remain stationary, and securing means for said. member accessible from outside thebounding Walls. T

19. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with the pump cylinder, valve seats respectively on aninner and an outer wall of said chamber, valves cooperating with said seats, and supporting means for saidxvalves carriedbothiin, said chamber and on the outer wall-thereof, the supporting means carried in said chamber serving to guide the fluid relative to both seats, said supporting means being removable while said walls remain stationary.

2O. In combination, a pump cylinder, a cylinder head therefor having a chamber therein, inlet and discharge valves associated therewith, and elements for supporting said valves cooperating directly with opposite walls of said chamber, said elements being wholly releasable from the outside of said walls.

21. In combination, a pump cylinder, a cylinder head therefor having a chamber therein, inlet and discharge valves associated therewith, and means for supporting said valves releasable from the outside of opposite walls of said chamber, said chamber having an open end so disposed that said valves may be removed in directions transversely of the cylinder. axis.

22. In a'valve mechanism, a member having walls bounding a chamber, valve seats on said walls, inlet and discharge valves associated therewith, and a unitary substantially rigid'valve supporting element adapted to be disposed between said valves and to be removed without moving the walls or valve seats.

23. In a valve mechanism, a member having walls bounding a chamber, valve seats on the inner and outer sides of said walls, inlet and discharge valves associated therewith, and a unitary substantially rigid valve supporting element adapted to be disposed between said valves and to be removed without moving the Walls or valve seats.

24. In a valve mechanism, a member having walls bounding a chamber, valve seats seats.

25. In combination, means providing an enclosed cylinder and an adjoining chant ber, inlet and discharge valve mechanism associated with said chamber, and 'valve supporting means including a wall of said chamber and means extending therethrough, said valves being substantially parallel to said wall and removable from said chamber in a direction transversely of the cylinder axis. i

26. In combination, a cylinder, a chamber communicating therewith, inlet and discharge valve mechanism associated with said chamber, and valve supporting means including means adjacent but outside said chamber and extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder, the plane in which said valves lie being substantially parallel to said means and said valves being removable from said chamber ina direction transversely of the cylinder axis.

27 A valve mechanism comprisingia adapted to be inserted between said valves and within said chamber by movement parallel to the planes of the valves. v

28. A valve mechanism comprising an element adapted to be supported at one end and having fingers projecting therefrom, and said fingers severally providing cham bers to support and permit free bodily movement of valve means.

29. A valve mechanism comprising an element adapted to be supported-at one end and having opposed fingers extending from the supported end, certain of which fingers are adapted to house and support valve means.

' 30. In a pump valve mechanism, a chamber communicating with the pump cylinder, valve seats formed opposite each other on the outer and inner walls of said chamber respectively, a second chamber spaced from the first chamber by the outer wall of the latter, and valves in said chambers coopcrating with said seats, said valves being removable only through the end of said chambers and either of said valves being removable without disturbing the other.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALEXANDER ,1), FERGUSON. 

